Polishing conveyer



May 8, 1951 E. c. LINDSAY ET Al. 2,552,194

POLISHING coNvEYER Filed May 2, 1949 y '7 Sheets-Sheet l May 8, 1951 E. C. LINDSAY ET AL FOLISHING CONVEYER '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 2, 1949 May 8, 1951 E. c. LINDSAY ET AL POLISHING CONVEYER 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 2, 1949 May 8, .1951 E. c. LINDSAY ET AL 2,552,194

POLISHING CONVEYER May 8, 1951 E. c. LINDSAY ET AL 2,552,194

` POLISHING coNvEYER Filed May 2, 1949 7 sheets-sheet 5 INVENTORS E. 'C. LINDSAY ET AL May 8, 1951 POLISHING CONVEYER '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed May 2, 1949 May 8, 1951 E. c. LINDSAY ET Al. 2,552,194

POLISHING CONVEYER Filed May 2, 1949 7 SheeJCS-Sheeb 7 INVENTORS Patented May 8, 1951 UN l'l`l":".iDV STATES 2,552,194:

POLISHING CONVEYER Edward-C. Lindsay, Compton, Calif., .and Gerard M.1H.urleyNewton Falls, Ohio,v assignors toI Standard Steel Spring Gompany', `Coraopolis; Pa., acorporationtof Pennsylvania Application May 2, 1949; SerialNo. 90,918' f 1 Claim. (CL 519-76) This invention relates to. apparatus for conveying a curved workpiece to be polished pasta polishing device or past a series of polishing, devices. and oscillating theV workpiece as it moves pastthepolishing device so that the'workpiece canbe polished automatically. Theinvention willbedescrbed herein as applied to the polishingaof automobile bumpersv but it will be understood that other workpieces can be polishedgin a similar, manner.

Inone method now known, curved automobile bumpers' are conveyed onanendless-table-to a position Where a polishing device such. as a polishingwheel or; apolishing belt is located. A workman then presses the bumper against the polishing device and so guides the bumper that the polishing wheel passes over a certainareaof the bumper. In accordance with the present invention, this manual manipulation vof the bumper in contact with the polishing, device is eliminated, means being provided for causing the bumper and thestable on-which it is mounted tooscillate as they move past the polishing device.

Inthe accompanyingdrawings which illustrate tworembodiments of our invention- Figure l isa plan viewof one embodiment;

Figure 2 is a sectiontaken lalong the linelI--II offFigure l, on an enlarged scale;V

Figure 3vis a plan viewof;the table on which the; bumper is mounted,- showing the means `for mounting the bumper on thetable;

Figure-4 is a-plan View illustrating different positionswhich the bumper andvtableon which it is mounted assume as they move past apolishing device;`

Figures 5A and 5B; when t placed 1 end, to end constitute a plan viewgofa dierent embodiment of; the apparatus from that shown in Figures fl-and 5-jare supported fromthe base 3 by `uprights Brand crosspieces 1.

A, pluralityv of carriages Il) eaclrhayingh` four casters I'I are-IutfuntedforP movement along the 2;, tracks, The carriages are moved by a roller. chain I2;,whichis driven bya drivingsprocketl I3 driven by a motor I.- The chain I2f passes around a seriesof idler sprockets I5; thel chain being connected to eachof the carriages IIL: as shown in Figure 2, by means of a pin I 6 passing through a roller I'l. ofthe chain, the pins Iii.'` being carried by4 brackets I8 secured` to the under side.` of carriage I0, by bolts I9. A guide roller 22 mount'- edin .a bearingy 23 secured `to the, carriageV llicooperates .with a guide formedof the angle irons 2V4: for keeping the. carriagelon the tracks4 and 5;.when the bumper is pressed ragainst .thevpolishing: device.A

AL, table designated generally by. theireference numeral 26- andA comprising.. an upper part' 26a andalower part 26h; is pivotallymountedcn the carriage Il) by'a trunnionl] secured to the car.- riage and mounted in a bearingY 2asecured by bolts 29 to the lowerpart=25b of the table; The table 26 is supported on the carriage Iby casters 2ccarried by the table; The two .table parts 26a and;` 26h are connected to; each other by hinges 30 adjacent oneend; as shownV mostclearly in Fig ures2 and 3. Two. coil springs 32.are interposed between the-upper table. part26a1and`the lower table; part 2Gb, thesev coilsprings being located adjacent the ends of theztableparts, which lie oppositethehinges 30;. A leaf spring 33.. (see Figure 3) alsois interposed between the upper tablev partV 26a andthe lower table part-2Gb, this leaf spring lying between the'coil :springs 32.A The leafspring` 33 is secured to the uppertable part ZliaibyA a bracketA Se; thisbracket being located adjacent vthe middle `of thespring. The ends 33a of -the leaispring are ,curved downwardly to con-4 tact; with the` lower table partl'b. Meansis provided tov-limit the extent to whichithe springs 32 'and 33 force thetable parts 2w=and25b apart; This means comprises bolts 36;-passing through openings in the table partsgiZarand :261), the'bolts being provided with nuts 3l Which-when tightenedrdraw the two tableparts togethenagainst the tension of thesprings. The; arrangementis such as to provide aresilient mounting between theupperv and loweri table parts 26a` and 2Gb so` asto resist any tendency' of the polishing. device to gouge the bumper during polishing. Also the hingedv mounting enables. theupper table part 26a to betilted'relatiVe-totable part 2Gb so asto present diiTeren-tportionsof the bumper dll-to the polishing devices. Y

The means forxmounting'a bumper 40 :on the upper table part aiisrshowncparticularlyin Figures 2;; and ;3. Three angle irons 4I arefsee cured to the table part 26a. A plate 42 is adjustably secured to each of the angle irons 4I by means of a bolt and nut 43, the bolt passing through slots 44 formed in the angle irons 4| and plates 42. The outer ends 42a of the plates 42 fit against the inner surface of the bumper. Two rods 48 slidably mounted in guides 41 are eccentrically pivotally connected at their inner ends 48 to a disc 49 which is pivoted at 50 to the table part 26a and provided with a handle 5i for rotating it. When the handle 5l is rotated in a counterclockwise position from that shown in Figure 3, the rods 48 are forced outwardly so that the outer ends 46a of the rods Contact the inner surface of the bumper and lock it in position on the table.

The lower table part 2Gb has an arm 54 secured to it, the arm carrying a cam follower 55 which in the embodiment shown is a roller. rfhis cam follower cooperates with a cam 58 which extends lengthwise of the conveyer. The cam is of such shape that it causes the table 28 and the bumper 40 supported thereon to oscillate relative to the carriage lll on the trunnion 21 as the carriage moves past each of a series of polishing wheels 50.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 and 4, the'bumper 40 is shown in three diierent successive positions. ln these iigures the carriage I and work supporting table 2G move to the left as shown by the arrow 62. `The first position of the bumper 40 with respect to the polishing wheel B is shown in full lines in Figure 4, the second position being shown in chain lines, and the third position being shown in dash lines. Thus as the cam follower 55 moves successively through the points 63, 84 and B5 on the cam 56, the table 26 is oscillated about the pivot 21 so as to present successively to the polishing wheel 60 the points 63a, 64a and 85a; of the bumper.

In using the apparatus a bumper may be secured to one of the tables 25 at a loading station A of the conveyer. It then moves to the left as shown in Figure l and is polished successively by the polishing wheels 6i), three of which are shown, each of the polishing wheels being arranged to polish a different portion of the vertical contour of the bumper. It is to be understood, however, that each of the polishing wheels 60 traverses a path from the point 63a to the point 65a of the length of the bumper. After the bumper has been polished by the wheels 69 and is passing around the left-hand end B of the conveyer, the table 26 is turned manually in a counterclcckwise direction until the bumper assumes the position shown at C. The bumper then moves along the conveyer past a series of polishing wheels 68 located on opposite sides of the conveyer which polish the ends 69 of the bumper. The bumper is then unloaded from the conveyer at station D.

The embodiment illustrated in Figures -8 is generally similar to that previously described but dilers in that the cams which guide the tables and bumpers mounted thereon in their movement past the polishing devices are located above the track instead of being alongside of the track, and secondly in that means is provided for automatically turning the bumpers after their intermediate portions have been polished by one series of polishing devices, to a. position which presents the inturned ends of the bumpers to a series of other polishing devices.

Referring more particularly to Figures 5 8, the carriage 10 is mounted on casters 1l which run on tracks 12 and 13, the carriage being provided with a roller 14 fitting in a guide 15. The carriages are driven by a chain in the manner described in connection with Figures 1 4. A table 5 it having an upper part and a lower part hinged together at 11 is pivotally mounted on a trunnion 18 carried by the carriage so that the table can oscillate or turn relative to the carriage. 'I'he bumper 19 is secured to the table in the manner previously described.

The movement of the bumper supporting tables 16 in their travel along the tracks is governed by a plurality of overhead cams and two cam followers which are secured to the table and cooperate with the cams individually and successively. One cam and cam follower guides the table during its travel past a series of polishing devices, the second cam being inoperative at this time, and thereafter the second cam follower becomes operative to cause the table to turn, the first cam and cam follower being inoperative at this time.

A rst'cam follower 80, which in the embodiment shown is a roller, is mounted on the upper end of a bracket 88a which is carried at its lower end on the table 16. The cam follower 89 coopcrates with a cam 8i which is located above the tracks and tables and is supported by any suitable means, not shown. The cam 8i and cam follower 89 guide the tables and bumpers 19 mounted thereon in their travel past a series of polishing devices 82 shown in Figures 5A, 5B. During this portion of the travel of the bumpers they are Ioscillated so that the intermediate portion of each bumper is presented to the polishing wheels as described in connection with Figures l4. The oscillation of the table 16 on the trunnion 18 relative to the carriage 'I0 is accomplished because of the curvature of the cam 8l. In Figures 5A, 5B the heavier line 85 designates the center line of the various cams and the lighter line 86 designates the path of travel of the trunnion 18. A second cam follower 81 is mounted on the upper end of a bracket 88 having its lower end secured to the table 16. The cam follower 81 cooperates with a turning cam 89 (see Figure 5B) to turn the table counterclockwise substantially 90 so that the ends 19a and 19h of the bumper will be in a position to be polished by a series of polishing devices 90 and 9i located on opposite sides of the track.

The operation may be carried out in the following manner. A bumper 19 is loaded on to a table 16 at the loading station E and is secured to the table. The tables are moved by the chain 92 passing around sprockets 93, one of which is driven by a motor 94. The table thenmoves Past a series of polishing devices 82 which polish the intermediate portion of the bumper, the bumper taking the various positions shown in Figures 5A, 5B as it passes each of the polishing devices 82. During the travel of the table past the polishing devices 82 it is guided by the cam 8| and cam follower 89, the cam follower 81 being inoperative at this time.

When the table has passed the polishing devices 82 and is approaching the left-hand end of the conveyer shown in Figure 5B, it is turned by the turning cam 89 and cam follower 81. The turning cam 89 extends at an angle to the track and has its leading end 39a spaced from but in substantialptransverse alignment with the following end Slar of the cam 8i. The following end 89D of cam 89 is connected to the leading end 95a of a second'cam 95. As the cam follower 80 leaves the cam 8|, the cam follower 81 contacts the turning cam 89 and causes the table to be turned counterclockwise through substantially 90. The table then continues its travel around the left-hand end of the conveyer shown in Figure 5 so that when it reaches the polishing devices 90 it is in a position for such polishing devices to act on the ends 19a of the bumpers. The table then continues its travel and shortly before it reaches the rst of the polishing devices 9| the cam follower is guided by an outwardly curved portion 95h of the cam 95 so as to oscillate the table and bumper so that the end 19h is in a position to be contacted by the polishing devices Sl.

After the bumper has passed the last of the polishing devices 9|, the cam follower 81 leaves the following end 95e of the cam 95 and at the same time the cam follower 80 contacts a turning cam 96 which turns the bumper in a clocking device, which comprises a track, a carriage located above said track and means for moving it along the track, a table pivotally mounted on top of the carriage, the table comprising an upper part and a lower part hinged together adjacent one end, the opposite end of said upper and lower parts having resilient means interposed between them, means on said upper part for rigidly mounting the workpiece thereon, a sinuous cam extending lengthwise of the track. and a cam follower connected to said table and cooperating with said cam for oscillating said table and the workpiece mounted thereon relative to said carriage as they move past the polishing device.

EDWARD C. LINDSAY.

GERARD M. I-IURLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 339,125 Allen Apr. 6, 1886 2,013,196 Woolens Sept. 3, 1935 2,026,040 Howe Dec. 31, 1935 2,026,042 Howe Dec. 31, 1935 2,312,028 Clausing Feb. 23, 1943 2,344,476 Turnbull May 14, 1944 2,425,290 Wharton Aug. 5, 1947 2,516,256 Robinson July 25, '1950 

